Dutch artist who aimed to say 'I do' 25 times, dies of cancer

A Dutch artist, who planned to marry her partner in countries around the world to celebrate gay marriage, died on Monday, her wife announced.

"Julian P. Boom 18.11.1977 - 22.01.2018" read a simple post on the Facebook page of Fleur Pierets, accompanied by a sombre YouTube video montage of photos and film of the couple together.

After first getting legally hitched in New York in September where they had been living, Boom, 40, and Belgian artist Pierets, 44, had planned to complete a piece of performance art, working their way through all other countries where gay marriage is allowed. Symbolic ceremonies were then held in Amsterdam followed by Antwerp.

But after their fourth wedding in Paris on November 7, Boom "felt very dizzy and I had to support her down the stairs of city hall," Pierets told AFP earlier this month in an email.

Boom was feeling so ill the couple decided to rest at the home of Pierets's mother in France where scans later revealed that Boom had numerous tumours.

"Things are going really fast. She has lost her memory completely and (was) unable to move her limbs," she Pierets said in an email to AFP.

The couple, who sold everything to finance their plans, had planned to make a documentary, as well as a photo exhibition and a book about their adventures, which they had called Project 22.

Since launching the project, Australia, Germany and Malta have all legalised same-sex unions while Austria's top court said in December that gay couples will be able to marry from 2019.

Pierets promised her wife that she will write the book. "It will keep me busy and will give me a purpose after she is gone," Pierets said.

"I was looking so much forward to marrying her in those 25 countries. I'm going to miss her so, so much."

Friends had launched an appeal on the Project 22 website to help Pierets meet the costs of Boom's palliative care, not covered by their insurance.